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Mandibular right central incisor
The smallest tooth of the permanent dentition: a narrow, symmetrical incisor with a single root that is flattened mesiodistally.
- FDI
- 41
- Universal
- 25
- Palmer
- LR1
- Roots
- One, flattened mesiodistally
- Root canals
- Usually one, sometimes two
- Eruption
- About 6–7 years
Form and anatomy
The crown is narrow mesiodistally and almost perfectly symmetrical, with sharp, nearly right-angled incisal corners and a straight incisal edge that lies slightly lingual to the long axis of the root. The labial surface is flat to slightly convex; the lingual surface is smooth, with a shallow lingual fossa and faint marginal ridges above a small cingulum. Right and left central incisors are very hard to tell apart. The root is long and ribbon-like: narrow mesiodistally but wide labiolingually, often with shallow depressions on its mesial and distal surfaces. These depressions show why a single root may still carry two canals, one labial and one lingual, which usually rejoin near the apex. The thin alveolar bone over the labial surface is easily lost in periodontal disease.
Function
Cutting food against the maxillary incisors.
Clinical relevance
Although usually single-rooted, a second (lingual) canal is present in a notable minority.
Neighbouring teeth
- Mesial neighbour
- Mandibular left central incisor
- Distal neighbour
- Mandibular right lateral incisor
- Same tooth, other side
- Mandibular left central incisor
- Opposing tooth
- Maxillary right central incisor
This text is a draft and has not yet been reviewed by a dental professional. Educational reference only, not for diagnosis or treatment.